She made the first
step shortly after the birth of her baby boy, Gil. This is partly thanks to
this little guy, because this activity allows her to work at home and stay close
to the baby. But if she started this craftmanship, it's also thanks to her husband,
Paulo, who is a pipe smoker and likes Latakia blends, who also used to make
pipes in his spare time, but now prefers building and driving model airplanes.

Gradually, with great
humility and the generous advice of other countries pipe makers — for instance
Greek Chris Asteriou — Sabina cut, drilled, sanded, polished, rusticated. She
loves the classical shapes made by Chris, but equally admires the achievements
of another Greek pipe maker, Konstantinos Anastasopoulos, also the American James Gilliam, the German Maike Paessens or the Ukrainian
Konstantin Shekita. During those two years, only 90 signed Sabina pipes came
out of the workshop, most of them made with Italian briar, sometimes from
Greece. By creating such an amazing Soul series, with carved and pierced wood,
resulting of many hours spent digging with Dremel, she distinguished herself.
But more traditional forms have also been explored, often rusticated, like
cells of a beehive. "I love rusticated pipes", Sabina
confessed, recognizing that she begins to make smooth ones. Some other Sabina
pipes result of commissions from around the world.

"When I make a commissioned pipe, I inform my customer by sending him pictures of my work, step
by step", Sabina said. A way to
do which fully satisfies her customers with who she has a direct relationship.

In the well-equipped
workshop established in her home, in a small town 20 minutes away from north of
Lisbon, Sabina's improvements seem awesome. In only few months, she made
decisive leaps forward. With enthusiasm, she opened her workshop to me. At this
moment I immediately fell in love with her latest makings, still on the bench:
two rhodesians. First, a briar one, partially rusticated, with a lightly
frontwards tilted bowl.

Drilling (always performed at 4 mm) is perfectly
centered. Anyway, the word perfect can be applied to all the look
of this pipe.

The other one is a beautiful morta pipe with wonderful lines, including a plateau briar stem
extension.

"I made lots of pokers,
but now I love making rhodesians", Sabina said. She has made here her
first morta pipe. In my opinion, a master work. And a great way to celebrate
the second anniversary of pipe making. The young lady and young mother is now
waiting Gil's first school year. Thus, she'll have more time in the day to work
in her studio. "But I will miss him", she said. About her
husband Paulo, he is her first fan and encouraged her in all of the steps of her learning and craftmanship. Together, they discuss future shapes.
Paulo smokes at night especially English or Balkan blends, Dunhill, GQ
Tobaccos, or Peterson Old Dublin. When Gil sleeps, Sabina also takes a break,
preferring the sweet aroma of Peterson Sunset Breeze tobacco.

Sabina
Santos is not in a hurry, and she prefers improving her work day by day rather than manufacturing in large quantities. "In the future, I
intend to make stems all by myself from ebonite and cumberland," she
explained. Patience and time... But two years after her beginning, the
improvement is significant. These two rhodesians marks the entrance of Sabina Santos
in a new era: the one of craftsmen who know how to combine technic and
fluidity. To which I would add kindness and outstanding sense of welcoming. Obrigado, Sabina!